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Page 73
"Well?" said Ransford.
Mitchington hesitated a moment, as if searching for his next
words. He glanced at the detective; the detective remained
immobile; he glanced at Ransford; Ransford gave him no
encouragement.
"Now look here, doctor!" he exclaimed, suddenly. "Why not
tell us something? We know now who Braden really was! That's
settled. Do you understand?"
"Who was he, then?" asked Ransford, quietly.
"He was one John Brake, some time manager of a branch of a
London bank, who, seventeen years ago, got ten years' penal
servitude for embezzlement," answered Mitchington, watching
Ransford steadily. "That's dead certain--we know it! The man
who shared this secret with him about the Saxonsteade jewels
has told us that much, today. John Brake!"
"What have you come here for?" asked Ransford.
"To ask you--between ourselves--if you can tell us anything
about Brake's earlier days--antecedents--that'll help us,"
replied Mitchington. "It may be--Jettison here--a man of
experience--thinks it'll be found to be--that Brake, or Braden
as we call him--was murdered because of his possession of that
secret about the jewels. Our informant tells us that Braden
certainly had on him, when he came to Wrychester, a sort of
diagram showing the exact location of the spot where the
jewels were hidden--that diagram was most assuredly not found
on Braden when we examined his clothing and effects. It may
be that it was wrested from him in the gallery of the
clerestory that morning, and that his assailant, or
assailants--for there may have been two men at the job
--afterwards pitched him through that open doorway, after
half-stifling him. And if that theory's correct--and I,
personally, am now quite inclined to it--it'll help a
lot if you'll tell us what you know of Braden's--Brake's
--antecedents. Come now, doctor!--you know very well that
Braden, or Brake, did come to your surgery that morning and
said to your assistant that he'd known a Dr. Ransford in times
past! Why not speak?"
Ransford, instead of answering Mitchington's evidently genuine
appeal, looked at the New Scotland Yard man.
"Is that your theory?" he asked.
Jettison nodded his head, with a movement indicative of
conviction.
"Yes, sir!" he replied. "Having regard to all the
circumstances of the case, as they've been put before me since
I came here, and with special regard to the revelations which
have resulted in the discovery of these jewels, it is! Of
course, today's events have altered everything. If it hadn't
been for our informant--"
"Who is your informant?" inquired Ransford.
The two callers looked at each other--the detective nodded at
the inspector.
"Oh, well!" said Mitchington. "No harm in telling you,
doctor. A man named Glassdale--once a fellow-convict with
Brake. It seems they left England together after their time
was up, emigrated together, prospered, even went so far--both
of 'em!--as to make good the money they'd appropriated, and
eventually came back together--in possession of this secret.
Brake came specially to Wrychester to tell the Duke--Glassdale
was to join him on the very morning Brake met his death.
Glassdale did come to the town that morning--and as soon as he
got here, heard of Brake's strange death. That upset him--and
he went away--only to come back today, go to Saxonsteade, and
tell everything to the Duke--with the result we've told you
of."
"Which result," remarked Ransford, steadily regarding
Mitchington, "has apparently altered all your ideas about
--me!"
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